


Haze in the Head

by alice_dualswordlesbian



Series: Trans!Sayo [2]
Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Trans Female Character, extended shopping trip shennanigans, i'd put ship tags but this is more dumb self-indulgence than any implied relationships, is this fluffy enough to be called fluffy? i cant tell, trans headcanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-01 18:56:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20262910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alice_dualswordlesbian/pseuds/alice_dualswordlesbian
Summary: Sayo and Yukina head out on a shopping trip with Lisa.





	Haze in the Head

"So, you two have nothing going on at Sunday?"

"No," The pair answered in unison.

"No band session?" 

"No bookings on that day," Yukina responds. 

"Of course, I'll still be leaving plenty of time for solo practice." 

Lisa's staring at the two of them, eyes burning with hot determination. Is this an important matter?

"...So, you two essentially ARE free for the afternoon, at least? Nothing significant going on? No practice, no baking, no family bonding, no nothing?"

Yukina tilts her head in the way she always does when she's confused, but Sayo's starting to have a faint inkling of what the plan here is. "...It is an unusually empty day in our schedule, yes. Maybe I should ask Circle-"

An unusually grandiose bout of laughter from Lisa cuts cleanly through Yukina's response (Ako would be proud). A cheshire cat's grin adorning her face, she stands up and presses her hands down on either side of the table. It's a semi-imposing look, but Sayo thinks it's probably impossible for Lisa to ever scare someone. Even if the sun could cast a shadow on her figure here, the gesture would probably still look endearing. She wishes it would, actually; right now, it’s blinding her from above and razing her skin with heat.

"...Then that means you two are coming to the mall with me on that day!"

Called it.

"Why?" Sayo immediately asks. The more shopping trips she gets taken on, the less she understands Lisa's motivations for doing so. You’d think 10 different outings dedicated to shopping across the span of their friendship would tell Lisa that Sayo doesn’t like to think much about fashion. She’s savvy enough to know that, probably, but that never seems to stop her. "Where are you planning to go this time?"

"Oh, we'll be looking at the same places as before, Sayo... but this time, the end result'll be different, I guarantee it!"

"How so?" Usually, Sayo doesn't buy anything more than a nice accessory when they’re out, maybe a bracelet or a necklace; it's the only purchase at a clothing store that doesn't require a fitting room.

"Well, first of all, Yukina..." She turns her head to Roselia's awe-inspiring songstress, whose very voice could bloom a rose on a bare rock... and whose body is currently shrinking in its chair, as if dreading the incoming ultimatum: "It's time for you to pick something out for yourself."

"Gghhh." Goodness. Sayo feels almost betrayed by the uncharacteristic whine she just made. "...But, Lisa..."

"Yukina!" There's a hand placed softly on Miss Sulkington's head as Lisa continues; "One day, you're not gonna have me or your mom around to pick out your clothes, and if your outfits stop fitting then you're gonna be in big trouble, you hear?"

"...Not really... nothing much is going to change, Lisa, I've told you..."

"And I've already told you..." Sayo sighs as she watches the scene unfold. Yukina’s getting her hair ruffled by Lisa as if she’s a dog; it’s cute, almost. Sort of. Slightly. “That's not going to work on me. Rinko will still need to fit Roselia's outfits properly, y'know, even if we're living apart."

"It's not as if we'll never be able to visit each other, even if our further education's in different locations. Can't I just meet up with you occasionally?"

Sayo raises her hand, realizing her bandmate needs to get herself together. "I apologize, but... I agree with Lisa on this one. Making sure your attire will consistently fit you is important for both dignity and practicality's sake."

"...Mmm..." She's still unconvinced. 

Lisa's evidently more prepared than she lets on though, fortunately. "On a completely unrelated note, Yuuuuuuuukina~, I DO have some money spare to visit that cat cafe this month-“

"I'll go." Well, that was a change of heart.

"Yes!" Sayo's never seen anyone as excited over this kind of development as Lisa is. It's nearly bewildering how suddenly determined Yukina is to accompany her now, though-

"And as for you, Sayo." Oh, right. She's been invited too, she forgets.

"...I on the other hand have no reason to fear wardrobe malfunctions, Lisa."

"Yeah, yeah, I know that..." Please take this more seriously.

"And I've told you on several trips already that I'm fine with my current wardrobe. I have no need for anything flashier than what I have now."

"Sure, you don't need anything flashier... but you wouldn't miiiiind trying it out, would you?"

Oh, so that's the angle she's going to take. Well, consider the challenge accepted, Lisa Imai.

"The idea poses no harm to me, obviously. But if I wear any kind of intricate fashion too much, my reputation in the disciplinary committee will be damaged. As a senior member, I'm obligated to maintain a no-nonsense image, you know."

"Then that means it won't be much of an issue if you only wear that kind of outfit occasionally, right?"

"Maybe so. But when would such occasions arise, then?"

"Roselia's group outings are pretty infrequent, aren't they? Considering how busy we are with practice... they're occasional enough that your fellow disciplinary bigwigs won't be able to chastise you for it, right?"

Well, that was more effective an argument than she thought it'd be. But at this point, Sayo's more distracted by the sheer excitement in Lisa's eyes; it's a look she only shows rarely, when she can't hide her own interests anymore, and it's admittedly joyous to see whenever it gets released. 

Outfit coordination feels like it's part of her soul, at times. When you throw a mess of clothes in front of her, it’s like she’s found a treasure bag; like an alchemist in a fantasy game, she’ll combine seemingly innocuous garments into charming ensembles. And sometimes it’s infectious, even for Sayo; she’d argue the point against her more, for the sake of her own image... but part of her wants to share that excitement. So...

"...Very well then. I'll accompany you, too."

"Wait, really?" Yes, she's surprised by how quickly she's giving in, too. But the idea of 'giving in' to her bandmates' suggestions doesn't feel as abstract or intimidating as it used to. 

"Do you have a complaint?" Sayo retorts. 

The smile on Lisa's face in response is blinding, almost; looking at it makes her feel kind of strange, like its energy is taking form inside her and skipping on top of her heart. 

"Not at all. 1pm'll be fine, right?"

And the meeting's arranged. Lisa has something coming up until they practice later today, so she temporarily departs. Yukina's idly stirring her straw through her milkshake like it’s a spoon in a cup of coffee, her face warped with an intense concentration.

"Sayo."

"Yes?"

"...I have no idea what I should be buying."

"That's your problem to sort out, I'm afraid."

"...I see."

She can't help but smile (internally) a bit at the gravity with which Yukina’s treating this. Her friend is dedicated, even more than Sayo considers herself to be... but she chooses to invest that dedication in some strange directions at times.

"You can always think about it once we're actually heading out, Yukina. For now, should we focus on Roselia instead?"

"...Good idea." Whew. "...But, Sayo..."

"What is it?"

"...Are you trying to hide the fact that you don't know what you'll get either?"

Yes. "Not at all."

\---

She’s been at the designated meeting spot for 5 minutes. Currently, her surrounding area is devoid of unoccupied shade.

Every time Sayo feels the blaze on her bare skin, she can't help but fearfully picture the image of Hina abandoning both reason and instinct in favor of a pure fervor for endless scoops of ice cream. The sheer ferocity with which she devours ice cream is a threat in multiple ways, from the hazard it poses to her own health... to the way the idle thought of it has made Sayo feel REALLY hungry right now. Even though she made sure to have lunch prior.

"...It's... extremely hot..."

Far be it from her to waste time saying something so redundant, normally. But after being here for what doesn’t feel like 5 minutes, she feels like she’s... been unfairly punished her for her punctuality today. Mind-Hina’s hunger-crazed glee is posing a dire threat; she hates herself for it, but part of her would love nothing more than to escape the sun, fork over 1000 yen to a family restaurant and forget about everything else right now, even though she’d saved up a budget just for today...

"Saayoooooooooo!"

...Luckily, the duo's arrived just in time to stop her from giving in to her urges.

"...Lisa... Yukina. You've made it on time."

"I guess being in Roselia helps with that! ...H-how long have you been here like this, though? Are you ok?"

"I'll be fine. There just wasn't a free area of shade that would put me in your sight, is all," she replied, graciously accepting a cloth fished out from Yukina's pocket in the meanwhile.

"Let's pick up some ice cream quickly, then! My treat." She winks, and before Sayo can object, she's already whirled towards a convenience store.

"W-wait! Lisa, I'm fine-" She tries to follow, but Lisa's already inside.

"Your brow's drenched in sweat, Sayo." Yukina beckons her to the shade of the entrance, and Sayo takes the time to wipe it off. "Next time, you can just wait in a store and text us about your location."

"...I apologise. I didn't think arriving early would cause this." Yukina just smiles faintly in response, a gesture that makes Sayo feel weirdly calm in spite of her hazy state. "You'd best be prepared for what comes after, though. Back in middle school, Lisa and her mom took me to buy new clothes here, and one shop was enough to take up the whole afternoon."

"...That sounds just like her. Seeing her fervor back when we agreed to this trip, I imagine this outing will be similar?"

"With both of us here, it might actually take longer... You'll likely have to use the fitting rooms a lot, too."

"Not to worry; I don't mind indulging her enthusiasm alongside you. I have enough of a balance for two or three articles of clothing, at least."

"...?" Yukina's tilting her head, and giving Sayo a pretty odd look. Did she say something strange?

"Is something wrong?"

"...No. I suppose there's nothing to worry about, then."

"Sorry for the wait, you guys!" The topic of discussion pokes her head out from the sliding doors, handing popsicles to the both of them. "We can stand here and knock these out before we move, if you need to."

"I can finish mine on the way; don't let my sloppiness cause us any more dawdling," Sayo responds.

"Aw, you worry too much! But alright; the Roselia shopping trip is underway, then!"

Her route’s already been planned out; Yukina probably doesn’t have an inkling of where they’re going, but Sayo’s guessing some of the stores in her head as they head inside the mall. The suspects are numerous; certain stores bland enough in aesthetic that she could feel comfortable shopping in them, and other... slightly more glamorous ones. Ones she usually felt out of place in, and therefore usually stood outside of, waiting for Lisa (and sometimes, Himari, or Aya, or even Ako and Ran once) to finish shopping in. 

Her mind brings up the trio’s conversation about ‘flashy’ clothing, but she doesn’t give it much thought for now. She’ll cross those bridges when she gets to them.

“First stop!” It’s about as plain a fashion lineup as you can get in the store they’re standing in front of. “This is your cue, Yukina.”

“Mm?” Like a cat stuck high up a tree, Yukina stands stiff on the spot. “What am I supposed to do?”

“I’m going to do a little browsing here by myself; YOUR task, my sweet, is to purchase something on your own.”

“...I still don’t see the point of this, I think...”

“The point is that you have something that fits! Sayo, you accompany her and make sure she chooses something, you hear?”

“M-me?” Sayo blinked. But Lisa’s already yelled a temporary goodbye, and has immediately started engrossing the cashier in enthusiastic conversation.

That leaves her, a girl with nary a high-saturation colour amongst her wardrobe, and Yukina, who’s possibly clothes shopped even less for herself than Sayo has (which is by no means a feat to be taken lightly), left on their own in a relatively packed store.

But idly swaying in the entrance like a pair of socks on a washing line isn’t going to help them, so Sayo turns towards Yukina and attempts to push through the day. “Well then, lead the way.”

“...After you. You’ve shopped with Lisa more than I have, haven’t you? You could guide me around the place.”

“That would defeat the point of this exercise, Yukina; the goal is for you to pick out something for yourself.”

“...I don’t know where to start. What am I supposed to buy?”

“...” She can feel her own brow crease. Right, Lisa’s guidance was essentially to just get something that fits. Yukina’s staring at her with an expression that she can only just about read as... half-worried, and half-amused?

Focus, Sayo. If Lisa’s put her trust in her, then it’s up to her to meet her expectations... no matter how little she actually knows about clothing. “...W-well, if we’re just trying to find clothes that will fit you properly, picking out an inexpensive top and a skirt would probably suffice. Those are the central articles of clothing, after all.” She has to restrain herself from ending that sentence with ‘I think.’

“...Central articles of clothing...” 

Yukina’s smiling, and she can’t help but feel like she’s being mocked, somehow. She starts heading through the selection, leaving her unsavvy leader to follow. “That’s our plan then, Yukina. Let’s browse until you find something.”

“R-right.” The progression here’s feeling about as smooth as a bed of uneven lego bricks, but if she starts to question herself then Yukina’s probably going to leave without spending a single penny. So, in she goes, hoping she’ll suppress the embarrassment on her face through sheer force of will.

It isn’t long until they hit a roadblock.

Stopping by a selection of passable-looking blouses, Sayo steps aside and gestures. “This should do just fine. Go ahead and pick something.” Not an arduous task, she imagines.

But Yukina kind of, just... ends up standing there before the clothes. Her stiffness is painful to look at; does she think she’s going to come up with lyrics by looking at them, or what?

“...Yukina. I don’t mean to be blunt, but this really shouldn’t be too hard.”

“...But...” She just trails off, unable to respond. Yukina’s first personal choice of apparel is not going well.

“What’s the matter? You don’t have to find something amazing, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I know, but...” There’s a glint of panic in her eyes as she turns to face Sayo, one that feels bizarre in this mundane a context. “...How do I pick something that actually fits me?”

“Isn't that obvious? Just... ah.” Right. The most Sayo does for fitting is to just pick the size tag she think will work and order the item, and she just chucks it to Hina if it doesn't fit. She wishes she remembered that earlier.

Realizing that Lisa's trust in her was horribly misplaced, Sayo falls deep in thought. She doesn't want to think about the embarrassment that'll come from failing to buy Yukina just a single blouse; so, much to her chagrin, her only option is to maintain a facade of knowledge for her companion.

"W-well, I imagine... I-I mean, the best way to do so would be to pick a few sizes of the garment of interest, and try them on in the fitting room, no?"

"R-right..." Yukina does what can only be described as a strangled waddle towards the lineup, making merely a few centimetres of distance look like a trawl up Mt. Fuji in the winter, and it's then that Sayo realizes everything will probably go downhill from here. "B-but, Sayo..."

"...What is it?" If she stammers even slightly in her next few responses to Yukina, she swears she's gonna cut off her money for fries for the next week. 

"Wouldn't grabbing a bunch of them at once be disrespectful?"

"How so?"

"You see... for all we know, it might be etiquette in these stores... to not haul too many articles into a fitting room at once."

...Would that be considered rude? Sayo has absolutely no idea. But if Yukina's succumbing to this kind of social anxiety, then Sayo absolutely cannot, else they'll absolutely fail. "Well, if that's an unspoken rule, Lisa will tell us sooner or later. Until then, why not just bring multiple sizes with you?"

"R-right." Yukina grabs a few sizes of a rather unremarkable plain-blue blouse, pulling a sharp contrast to the streak of red dashing her face. Sayo wishes right then and there she could admit her lack of knowledge and stand in solidarity with her over their disastrous shopping skills, but she has a job to do. Well, not really a job, but...

Let's not overthink the situation too much. Fortunately, they don't fret as much about the skirt Yukina picks out, and the fitting room is pretty easy to find. Amazingly, without much further issue, Sayo's left waiting while Yukina tries about 4 different sizes of the same piece of clothing on; she can practically see the depth of her relieved sigh with her own eyes as she exhales it. 

It only takes five minutes until Yukina emerges from behind the curtain with seemingly no issue regarding her outfit. And unfortunately, this only gives Sayo another unforeseen issue.

"...Is it fine?"

She wishes she hadn’t let her guard down. She has to instinctively look away a bit, because it's kind of frustrating to her how... pretty... no, ‘beautiful’ would probably sound less awkward... how beautiful Yukina can look in so simple an outfit. "About as reasonable as you would think," she flat-out lies.

Yukina breathes a sigh of relief and leans back against the wall, twirling her hair awkwardly, and Sayo has to physically restrain herself, a bit, from commenting on how cute the gesture is- no, wait. This is probably just jealousy she's feeling. She is DEFINITELY not finding Yukina attractive, not whatsoever; that would just be unprofessional of her.

"Found you two!" Right on cue, Lisa sails in, and oos and aas upon looking at Yukina. "You picked out something pretty nice!"

"I-It's just a simple outfit..." 

"Does it fit okay? ...And why are you holding an extra-small size of the blouse, too?"

"A-ah... I didn't know which would fit, is all..." she tries to stammer out in response, but Lisa's already gotten lost in thought again, like she's reaching some kind of epiphany.

"Ooooo! Wait right here, Yukina, I saw a hairclip earlier that'd match GREAT with that-" is all Sayo hears, before the girl rushes off, seemingly oblivious to poor Yukina's struggles with picking a size.

It doesn't take long for her to return, and she pushes Yukina towards the mirror pretty quickly and hovers the hairclip over her head- wow, she's right. That hairclip has somehow made such a simple outfit look pretty nice, and Sayo once again has to commend Lisa's eye for this kind of stuff. She wishes she could make her plainer attire look even half as good.

"It's perfect! I'll buy this for you, Yukina, so you can just pay for the blouse and- oh, isn't this size a little loose?"

"I-Is it? I couldn't really tell..."

"Yeah! If it feels like it's gonna slip off the shoulders a bit, then..."

Completely caught up in her pace, Yukina enters and exits the fitting room again with one size smaller a blouse on her, then once more back out of it and into her current clothes. Lisa sends a wink Sayo's way as she takes Yukina by the hand towards the cashier, and before she's realized it, they're already paying for everything. Lisa gets everything done here fast, at a pace that makes her feel like she's watching the first-place driver in a grand prix, swiftly and smoothly drifting past every obstacle.

\---

"That's mission one, complete!" ...And lifetime minus one year for Sayo. Exiting the store with the other two, she feels like their distressed clothes hunt has taken more off of her life than an outing like that ever should.

Lisa evidently has plenty of energy left to go, and Yukina's looking strangely happy now that they've left the store, gripping her bag with a little too much tightness. She’s not really sure why.

"And that leaves..."

Sayo hadn't even thought about where they were going next until Lisa leaned in beside her face with her typically bedazzling grin. Oh, god. Right, she forgot she was going to be getting something here, too.

"...R-right. Lead the way, Lisa." She puts a bit of space between them again and presses forward, trying to hide the blush she felt from Lisa being just a little bit too close. Lisa just lets out a beautiful giggle in response, and picks up her pace too.

...She’s distracted. Sayo is feeling uncomfortably distracted.

It isn't too long until they find themselves near a place with a markedly more glamorous aesthetic. Thankfully, the atmosphere of the place is only daunting enough to make Sayo feel moderately out of place, rather than entirely; but it's 'out of place' enough that she's yanked out a bit from her haziness and into the stark contrast between the shop and... well, her.

She shrugs it off, somehow. It would be rude to go cold turkey on Lisa and Yukina after coming all this way, and besides, it's been a month or two since their last outing together. Contrary to what Ako says sometimes, she's not a demon who'll never 'hang out' with anyone.

So when Lisa and Yukina start to head in, her pace doesn't slow; she's right beside them as the entrance is passed. It feels kind of weird to waltz right into here, but she can’t muster the energy to care about that right now. 

"So, Sayo, here's what I'm thinking; let's grab a bunch of dresses for you to try on! Something you could use at a fancy ball, or something."

Oh god.

"...I-I thought this was simply shopping for something I could wear on a group outing?" She can only stammer in response.

"Eh, details, details! C'mon, there'd be so many you could look nice in!"

"W-well..."

"I think something with a simple sort of style'd be best, like with your normal wardrobe... ooooh, Yukina, let's get a few for you too! You'll look stunning!"

"I... Ah..." Sayo swears that her entire body's somehow shrinking. Judging by the gigantic stroke of deep pink on her face, Lisa's compliments must be hitting her bullseye today. "A--a-again? Well, I don't mind..."

"Let's split up and collect some we think would look good on each other, then! Any other clothing that looks nice, too!" It's been only twenty seconds since they stepped in, and Lisa's plans have already encompassed the entire store. Stars practically dancing in her eyes, she places her hand over Yukina's and turns to Sayo. "Sayo, you take the right half of the store, and me and Yukina will take the left, yeah? She'll probably get lost without me. Just pick anything you'd be comfortable with wearing! Let's go!"

"Wait, Lisa-" But the rollercoaster has already taken its course. Lisa's already guiding Yukina down the aisles, discussing something regarding clothing fabric that Sayo probably wouldn't understand at all. 

She lets out a slightly exasperated sigh, then turns to her right.

Left to her own devices in a store she'd probably never enter on her own, she doesn't even know where to begin. Lisa's guideline might as well have been "pick anything at all, ever", but she did start with dresses, so Sayo's been attaching herself to that word. The store isn't really much for labels to guide you around, so she doesn't really have much of a choice but to wander around the place until she finds something of note.

The product quality in the store varies; some shelves and racks hold garments garish or illustrious enough that she couldn’t imagine wearing them in her wildest dreams, whereas others have a lot more moderation exercised in their design. There's a surprising amount of choice, all things considered. Still, ten minutes pass without any choices made; a mangled breath escapes her lips, and she idly stands in front of a rather shiny purple dress.

It’s not that nothing’s caught her eye; no, if she were to be honest and let self-indulgence breathe itself into her veins, there’d probably be a decent number of articles that she would’ve collected. As per Lisa’s suggestion, she could probably haul a bunch of them up and try them all on, if she wanted to.

But her mind, buried into a ball pit of fog, wanders discordantly until it finds the question she’s asking herself: Are any of these things going to look even passable on her? Isn’t she being foolish for wanting to buy or try something on in this shop, in this mall? She’s still a little too frazzled from the heat and chaos to think about it in detail, but she knows she has a million and one reasons lying in her head as to why being here is probably a bad idea. Besides, she’s not crazy about clothes; sure, having more than 5 shirts that fit her properly would be nice, but she can make do with what she has. Isn’t this just a waste of her time?

Unsurprisingly, the purple dress isn’t one for conversation, so it’s just pressing itself into Sayo’s eyes. She’s trying to reason out how she ended up here, what she wants to do, what’s going on... but little’s coming to mind. The only clear picture in her head right now is Lisa’s unrestrained delight painted clearly on her face.

“...I wish this was easier for me.” She doesn’t really know what that means, but she says it anyway. The more she stands here, the more she’s moving away from this whole outing, the film being cut piece by piece, and slowly just replacing itself with the guitar solo she’s been practicing all week...

“Sayo?”

She remembers clearly. Which sections were best to practice slowly first before speeding up, the points where tackling it headfirst was better, the divisions she’d made to break the whole solo down easier, to take it piece by piece, the way she could set solid goalposts, guide herself efficiently, gain a better understanding...

“It’s her! Hey, Sayo!”

Wait, someone’s-

It takes all of Sayo’s energy not to jump on the spot; instead, she manages to suppress the motion into her body and turn naturally to her side instead.

“...Ah, Tsugumi. And Ran?” The red-streaked raven’s presence is as muted as ever, but she and her companion make for two acquaintances she’s ran into. Well, she wouldn’t be so rude as to suggest Tsugumi’s an acquaintance, but... “Good afternoon to you two. What are you here for?”

“We’re just browsing here! We usually take a look at the stores around here, since it helps us brainstorm for Afterglow’s costumes.”

“I see. That’s very ingenuitive of you.” Tsugumi always does a lot to help her band. Sayo wishes she has the kind of fashion sense to follow her current example; it’d possibly help Rinko with her ideas, especially since she’s usually not good with big shopping centres.

“Y-you think so? This shop isn’t matched to the band’s tastes much, so I’m not sure if you’re helping much right now...”

“You’re doing fine.” Ran says behind her. “...What about you, Sayo? You don’t seem like the type... to like, shop here, I mean.”

“Well...” She’s not wrong, but... well, she’s not wrong. “I’m here with Lisa and Yukina currently. Lisa’s the one who offered the trip.”

“Ohhhhh.... Oh, I mean, I see!” Tsugumi’s face expresses an unusual kind of glow, for a second, but she quickly hushes it; what’s with that reaction? “...Are you having trouble picking something, though? You were staring at that dress for a while...”

Wow, that must’ve looked awkward. But if it’s Tsugumi, she knows she won’t be laughed at. “...Admittedly, yes. I feel generally a bit worn out, too, with this amount of heat.”

“Oh yeah, the weather’s awful... here, I’ve got a spare bottle of water!”

“T-thank you...” Sayo instantly tries to forget how silly she’s been for not even bringing water out today. Her typical pride in being able to resist the summer has shattered.

“What is it you’re looking for? Did Lisa recommend anything in particular?”

“Well, she has broad plans, but the basic idea was to buy a dress. Or a fancier piece of clothing... at this point, I’m not sure which.”

“Sayo in a dress...” Tsugumi states in wonder, while Ran gives a bemused smile that knows something Sayo evidently doesn’t. “You’d look amazing! Actually, can I help you pick one out?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, I wouldn’t mind... you don’t have to, though. I’m sorry that you’ve had to see me in this state.” ...Wait, did Tsugumi just say she’d look ‘amazing’ in a dress? She’s in for a disappointment.

“No worries, I’d love to! I get the feeling: it must be kind of intimidating if you’re in a store this big for the first time.” 

“R-right. Should we start browsing, then?”

“Yeah! Oh, Ran, you should come with us!”

“H-huh? But... I figured you were...” Sayo didn’t even notice, but she was already slinking slowly away while Tsugumi was talking. Tsugumi's hand grasps hers in determination, though:

"C'mon, you'll look beautiful in one too! Let's give it a try!"

"M-me?" She feels like she's looking in a mirror, with Ran's reaction. "But- well... if you wear one too, I'll be fine. Ok?"

"Sure! Although I don't think it'll live up to your expectations..." Is that a joke? Tsugumi looks cherished in pretty much any clothing.

Irregardless, Sayo now finds herself with two companions as she resumes her search. It's a strange mix of feelings; on one hand, Tsugumi's helped her head feel much clearer with her help and understanding (bless her soul), but on the other hand, she doesn't know whether to feel flattered by Tsugumi's indirect praise or worried that she's going to disappoint her. She knows herself that she'll hardly look amazing in one... Tsugumi, on the other hand, gives herself way too little credit. She's beautiful.

Maybe if she just concentrates on shopping for now, her mind'll push back that haze again. She's refreshed and has friends to support her; get it together, Sayo.

Tsugumi and Ran are perusing the immediate area around them, but Sayo hasn't moved far from the purple dress, because admittedly she thinks it'd be a decent first pick. Motivated and energized, she tries to muster the courage to pick up the article, and...

...God, this is embarrassing.

"Ah, were you interested in that one?" Sayo remembers that yes, she does have people with her, and now she feels morbidly embarrassed for some reason as Tsugumi teeters over her. She doesn't even know why; is it a crime for her to be interested in wearing a dress? She just feels ridiculous. "Let's take that one with us!"

"R-right... thank you, Tsugumi."

She takes two different sizes by their hangers. Thank god, she has something to show to Lisa now, at least. With that in mind, she starts considering Lisa's other request; to find anything else that would look good on each other. She's no expert, but there'll probably be some colours that would suit Yukina and Lisa... maybe Tsugumi and Ran, too...

For a while, Sayo takes a backseat in the exploration while Tsugumi enthusiastically peruses this convoluted selection. She swears the store has absolutely no kind of arrangement for which types of garments are where, but her companions don't seem to be impeded by it. Is there something she's missed?

"Give it a try, Ran! I-I mean... I don't have as good an eye as Himari, but..."

Irregardless, Tsugumi is always fishing between the different types of clothes she think would look good on her or Ran (she hasn't picked out anything for herself yet); there's a process of her awkwardly shying over to either of them, asking them if she can bring the clothes along, and then giving a dazzling smile when the answer is a 'yes'; it's precious. 

"Ah! Sayo, what about this bracelet? If that's okay, of course..."

Looking at her actions, Sayo actually feels motivated. That being said, she doesn't really know what else to get for herself. She has two extra articles courtesy of Tsugumi, and a couple of things for Yukina and Lisa, but none of those were picked out by herself. What can she do to find something for herself, let alone judge what might look good on a friend?

"Ran, has something grabbed your attention?"

"Ah! Well..." That succeeds in catching Tsugumi's attention, and she's looking over Ran's shoulder at the article in question. "...Yeah... this..."

The price tag intimidates them a bit, but Tsugumi says "Hey, let's at least try it on! Even if you can't buy it, I'd love to see you in it! Right, Sayo?"

She nods. Even she can tell it'd probably make a good fit. Ran's blushing, but she only hovers her hand over the article for a brief moment before picking it up and holding it close. Sayo can't help but smile a bit in pity; she's finding the anxiety more relatable than she should.

Tsugumi's shifted her focus onto Ran's choices for a bit, so Sayo takes some time to pick out a couple garments for Yukina and Lisa. Maybe it was a little presumptuous of her to generalize the knowledge of her peers when it came to fashion. There's likely as many people like her out there as there's fabric firebirds like Lisa, if Ran and Yukina are any example to measure from. Call it good timing, considering the ride today's been, but figuring this out is easing some of the stress out from her.

She holds out a pick of her choice for Lisa in front of her. In Roselia, it's paramount that she plays her absolute best. She has no intention of bringing anything less than her A-Game to every rehearsal, every performance. But does the same have to apply outside of band activities? She doesn't want to waste her associates' time with her lack of experience in... well, most normal social areas. 

But... Lisa might not think of it the same way. Knowing her, she wouldn't judge Sayo if her taste wasn't up to standard.

"...Mm..... Mmmmmmmmmm..."

There's a part of her brain protesting, saying that she should find something better, despite all her reasoning... but she's just going to ignore it. It's been too long a day for her to act with restraint at this point, so screw it.

Fortunately, Tsugumi jumps in right as Sayo adds her choice to the pile, so she can't change her mind anymore. "Sayo, we've got a lot now! Should we try some of them on?"

"...Right. I'll see if I can find Yukina and Lisa. Should we meet up at the fitting room?"

"Sounds good to me! I'll head over there now, if anything else doesn't catch my eye."

"See you there." With that, the two of them walk behind another aisle; Ran sends a stifled nod her way before her head disappears from view. 

Right, it'd be silly of her to lambast herself so much over this trivial an outing. She doesn't need to be dramatic about a shopping trip.

Carrying her selection with her, Sayo thinks; she can kind of see the appeal of this. It's not really her thing, but she'd dare to say this experience helps her understand Lisa's enthusiasm. There's something satisfying about acquiring and trying a haul of clothes that you've picked out yourself, just for you. 

The thought that Lisa's probably hovering articles of clothing over Yukina's figure right now, with that sparkle in her eye, just makes her smile. A little bit.

\---

Lisa's been engrossed in conversation with Tsugumi and Ran ever since they showed up, darting her eyes between each of their chosen items. Personally, though, it's been a hot and long day for Sayo, so she takes a backseat while they head towards the fitting room. Hopefully she'll be able to concentrate a bit more once it's time to change.

"Ran, this is gonna look great! ...C-can I take a picture of you with the dress on?"

"N-no! I mean... I think that'd be too embarrassing..."

"Awww, please? I promise I won't share it!"

"Sorry, no... besides, if Moca sneaks a glance of it from your phone at work, she's never going to stop teasing me." 

Understanding that the bread gremlin's eyes are everywhere, Lisa hides a disappointed slump momentarily, before swearing an oath to Ran not to take her phone out after the fitting. She fixates on the dress for a while though, and Ran's face continues to heat up while doing so. 

"You okay, Sayo?" Evidently, Yukina's noticed the sigh she ejected. Right, she actually has to give her choices to Yukina and Lisa...

"I'll be fine... Um, Yukina..." She turns to Roselia's leader. About a year back, she would've NEVER pictured them in a situation like this. What happened?

Yukina just tilts her head in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Well..." God, how hard is it, really, to just give a friend a piece of clothing? Sayo wants to just eliminate every trace of embarrassment in her head out of her sheer frustration at its irrationality, but she can't; so she settles for suppressing it instead. "...Here. I picked this out for you."

She seems unnecessarily surprised, considering that Lisa recommended they pick things for each other at the outset. Yukina's face is heating up too now, and the entire atmosphere feels like it's stifled. "I-I... thank you. I'll try it."

"O-of course. If it doesn't work out, you don't have to buy it."

"Right..."

"Mmm? What's this I hear? Did you pick out something for Yukina?" Lisa pops her head between them and sets her eyes on the piece in question; a black dress with star patterns decorating the rims. "Ohh, this doesn't look too bad! I've got a dress for Yukina too, since she couldn't decide what to try in the end."

"L-Lisa!"

"Ahahaha, sorry, sorry! Sayo, I got something for you, too!"

Sayo's jaw drops. It doesn't look extravagant, but the dress in question travels down from black to faded blue, paving the way to a pattern of stars curving under a crescent moon. It's a little daunting; she wonders if she'll manage to look as good as Lisa hopes.

"Whoa, that'd look amazing on you, Sayo!" Tsugumi is immediately one to show excitement, in a burst Sayo only wishes she could replicate.

"T-Thank you... I'll try it on..." This might be a bit too much, but it's the last part of the day now; she'll just head back after this. She can bear it for a little longer. "And, um, Lisa..." Sayo fishes a dress from her pile and hands it out. "I-I picked this out for you, too."

The item Sayo's picked out for Lisa looks completely dull, in comparison to what she's just been given. It's just a dress with a slightly muted red colour, of identical design to the purple one Sayo first picked out. But Lisa smiles anyway, and happily snags it. Sayo notices that she's brought surprisingly little for herself, now.

"Alright then, let's get this underway! Who wants to go first?"

A moment of silence for a second; Sayo needed... just a bit more time, first, before she braved the fitting room. It's dawning on her, actually, that it'll be her first time in a fitting room in the past six years.

...That's a long period...

Evidently, some of the others are a little shy about going in first, too. Ran's just squirming in place, and Yukina is just standing idly in boredom. 

So Tsugumi, ever the stalwart beacon, jumps in first again. "We'll go first!" She nabs her anxious bandmate around the arm and says "Ran, why don't I help you with fitting your dress?"

"H-huh?! I'll be okay, it's not a complicated..." Tsugumi leans in and whispers something in her ear. "...Ah. Thanks... sorry..."

"No problem!" Her smile could melt a steel beam, and the relief spreading on Ran's face is calming Sayo second-hand now. Considering her own anxiety, she guesses Ran's probably a bit shy about this herself. Nothing like a relatable trait to soften your opinion of the vocalist of Roselia's rival band... although she's not really sure what Ran has to be anxious about.

"W-we'll go first, then..."

"Looking forward to it!" Lisa's jumping in place as Tsugumi and Ran dip behind the curtain, and she's pacing the room in circles during the rest of the process. The material isn't much of a barrier when it comes to hearing Tsugumi and Ran's conversation inside; they're downplaying themselves, then they're hearing compliments from each other and getting embarrassed, then Tsugumi's chewing Ran out over something... and then, pretty soon after...

"U-um..." Tsugumi's voice takes a sudden quiver. There's another muffled piece from Ran that she can't make out, and then a pair of feet emerge at the edge of the curtain. Tsugumi pokes her head out of the curtain, surveys her audience, takes a deep breath, and takes a soft jump out. "D-does it look okay?"

"You look so cute!" Her reaction carries her standard level of excitement, but Sayo knows Lisa might be hiding a bit more, considering that she's expressed the desire to coordinate Tsugumi previously. "It suits you perfectly!"

Again, Sayo can't say if her tastes are refined, but she'd wager Tsugumi fits it perfectly. The white blouse and skirt combined with the hat would put her right in place in the midst of a field of sunflowers.

"S-Sayo? What do you think?" Oh god, right, she's let herself be caught by flights of fancy again; for all she knows, she's probably been staring Tsugumi directly in the face without even realizing it. 

"I-It looks fine." She hopes she hasn't embarrassed her; she knows Tsugumi tends to wriggle a bit when she's the center of attention. Sayo's a fool for forgetting that and putting her under pressure.

But fortunately, she's smiling bright at the response. She doesn't have to do that for her; it's not as if she gave a shining compliment. "Hehe... thank you. I might buy these now, actually..."

"Let's go through everyone else's stuff first, before we settle on anything," Lisa says. "...Heyyyyy Raaaaan, are you still in there?"

"U-um..." No movement out of the curtain's made. Is she still nervous, perhaps?

"It's okay, it's okay! I promise, Ran, you'll look great." Lisa winks, although that seems like a silly move considering that Ran can't see her.

"Come out and show us, Ran! I-If you're feeling up to it! No pressure..." 

"W-well..." Their combined encouragement results in a noodle of red hair poking out from the side of the box. The eyes beside it are scanning their surroundings, until they settle on Yukina. "...You. You're not gonna laugh, right?"

"Hm?" She doesn't respond with offense or surprise; rather, there's a rather unusual twinkle in Yukina's eye. "Of course not. Why not show us how you look?"

"Yukina..." Lisa looks slightly worried, while Ran just furrows her brow at the response. Is there something she's missing here? Maybe it's related to the band rivalry; she's talked to Yukina about it before, but the vocalists get a little petty when it comes to one-upping each other, sometimes.

"I don't mean it as a sign of offense, Ran. I'm sure you look fine in it." ...She's smiling now, too. Sayo wouldn't dare vocalise her suspicion, but... is she teasing Ran? That's hardly appropriate, considering their relationship as rivals... it should maintain at least some level of professionalism at all times.

"...Fine." Ran makes that response, but she sure does take a while to fully step out of the box. What is she scared of, exactly? 

Nonetheless, she eventually makes it out. It's the black, rather flowy dress that she sheepishly picked up earlier.

"Whoaaaaaaa!!!"

"Ran! That looks amazing!" Tsugumi is positively beaming.

"N-not really!" She's quick to respond. "M-my shoulders are a bit broad for it, anyway..."

"Absolutely not! I won't have you say you look anything other than beautiful in it!" That's the most enthused Lisa has been all day, probably.

"Seriously, Ran, this is great! Did you pick it out yourself?"

"Uh, um... yeah... I did..." She responds, blushing furiously. She can barely utter a word.

"It looks so good! Ran, can we buy it? I'll chip in if I need to!"

"Me too! Let's make sure we get this one!"

Good grief, praise is a deadly weapon; the raven looks like she's about to faint. "...R-Right... you don't have to, but..." Suddenly, she jolts her body straight, and turns to Yukina's gaze. Her eyes widen and her blush deepens, even though Yukina isn't really doing anything but nodding. Her expression is still... startlingly neutral? Sayo wishes she could read her leader a bit more sometimes.

"...It looks good. I'll chip in too, if need be." That's Yukina's only comment.

"Urk." She's about ready to drop dead, even Sayo can tell. Honestly, don't they take their rivalry a bit too seriously? Maybe talking with Yukina about this again would be ideal, later.

Tsugumi and Ran go through a few more outfits, and they're fortunately quaint enough that Ran doesn't have to fear any excessive negativity or positivity. It's only a little while later that Lisa starts asking who's next.

"Why doesn't Yukina go next?" Ran immediately jumps on the question, and oh god she hasn't let it go yet. Is she wearing the exact same expression Yukina did, just to spite her? Oh my god.

"I shouldn't. I haven't picked out anything good."

"Oh no, no you don't. You don't get to back out after seeing me in THAT."

"R-Ran? You don't need to raise your voice..."

"O-Okay, but... still. She has to."

"I've already bought something at another store today anyway, though."

"C'mon Yukina, isn't it fine?" Lisa cuts in. "Besides, you don't have to buy any of these if you don't want to. It's great just seeing you in more clothes, anyway!"

"W-well..." Her face flushes slightly; she's very easy to read when it comes to Lisa, at least. Her gaze turns back to Ran, and focuses on her. Ran's just looking at her with this weird kind of anxiety spread across her face. Whatever it means is something Yukina knows and Sayo doesn't, because the former's expression is coloured with understanding upon looking at it. She nods, and silently heads into the booth. Ran breaks into a relieved sigh and slacks her posture immediately afterward.

The festivities continue as such for a while; Yukina shows off the various clothes from her pile (mostly picked out by Lisa), blushes when she gets complimented, and smiles a bit when Sayo's pick turns out to look a bit too tacky for her. Lisa laughs too, and reassures her that it's not a big deal, just like she expected. Sayo feels better for it, although she's a little disappointed in herself for indirectly giving Ran a small victory; she's suppressing an almost evil grin when Yukina awkwardly blushes in all the big stars the dress has.

It's nice, even if she has trouble commenting on others' appearances (she's only good at that in the disciplinary committee). She feels like she shouldn't get used to it, but just being able to exist in this quaint outing is soothing, in a way.

Lisa's evidently eager, too, because she starts trying things on before Yukina's done with her pile. Unsurprisingly, she looks great in most of them, partly because she slips on different accessories to match; although she downplays her beauty a lot, tending to shy away from all the praise. She can evidently tell that Sayo's having trouble saying much here, since she always includes her in the conversation, asking her how each outfit looks. It's just like her to do that.

She's so distracted by her own thoughts that she doesn't even realise when it's her turn.

"Sayo! The dress you gave me matches one in your pile, doesn't it? Wanna try them on together!"

"Oh." The realization is like a dull, faint blow that somehow still feels fast and sudden. "W-well..."

"Ah! Did you change your mind about trying something on here? That's ok-"

"No, no, it's fine... I'll head into a fitting room. I'm looking forward to it, Lisa." She quickly heads into one of the rooms with her small selection and closes the curtain. She can hear Lisa practically mewl in excitement and head into the one beside her.

"Y-you can do it, Sayo! I'm sure you'll look great!" Thank you, Tsugumi. Right, right. She's in here.

She's... in a fitting room, with a dress. Never in a million years did she think this'd ever happen. She just bolted in there in a state of distress, but now she's got to stand there, garment in hand, contemplating just how all of this even happened.

It goes against her image, it's going to end awfully, someone like her shouldn't be here... she rattles off all the reasons she always avoids this. But today, everyone's been nothing but kind and helpful. No one's made a single judgement, none of her friends have treated her like an abnormality.

The one thing that makes this day so bizarre, so weird to Sayo, is that she's just readily accepted all of this. This whole time, she'd agreed to the outing, and fully participated in it the whole time, without ever backing out, barely even thinking about all her fears, the completely reasonable fears she's had about it, along the way. It's surreal.

So many times, so many times where she could have (and, in a different state of mind, would have) decided to stop. But now she's here.

And the strangest part? She doesn't feel any less inclined to back out now. She knows, deep down, that there's nothing wrong with her being here, and her friends communicate that too. 

So to hell with feeling out of place, or uncomfortable. She's just here for a frivolous shopping trip, is all. There's nothing significant about it at all, and nobody should be making a fuss about her being here. At least, that's what she's going to tell herself now; it won't stick immediately, but she wants to do this without fear.

So.

"Sayo, I'm done changing! How about you?" Her friend echoes from the room beside her.

"Give me a minute longer, Lisa. I'll be there."

"You got it!"

So, she takes a look at the dress in front of her, the first one she picked out, and tries it on. Simple as.

It's her first time wearing something a little showier. Her legs and arms are both exposed, whereas most of her casual outfits show either one of the two or neither. Still, it's a nice experience, just casually trying it without much thought.

"Sayo, since we match, let's jump out of the room at the same time, shall we?"

"...Is that necessary?"

"C'mon, c'mon, just do it for me?"

Sayo sighs, but she can't help but be amused. "Fine. You can count down."

"Okay! Three... two... one..."

Sayo walks out.

"...and go!" Lisa jumps out. "Hey, Sayo!"

"...You weren't clear on when exactly we were going to jump out."

"Everyone knows it's on 'go' and not 'one', Sayo! Jeez!"

"I don't see what the big fuss is about it, Lisa..." Sayo retorts. Then she turns around and realises, ah, right.

"They're a nice pair of dresses!" Tsugumi's the first to comment. Sayo can't help but look down at her own body, occupying it. She knows everyone can see right now.

"Hehe! I'm so glad I get to try something matching with you, Sayo! Yukina usually doesn't let me match with her..."

"I-I don't mind if you want to try something matching..."

Sayo's thinking.

"Really! I'll take you up on that offer another time then!" Lisa pumps her fists in another small victory.

"Hm." She's thinking.

"H-how does it feel, Sayo?" Tsugumi asks. "Is it comfortable."

Looking at herself in this state, only one thought's really coming to mind for Sayo.

"...This dress.... the colour is a little too strong." Even on a dress, she'd honestly prefer to stick to muted colours.

"Yeah, I noticed it's brighter than the red one I have." Lisa says. "Do you wanna search and see if there's other colours available?"

She wants to perish the thought, but... she could use this as an excuse for a later outing. "...Hm. That's alright. I'll save that for another time."

"Eh? Why not right now! We have time!"

Sayo just smiles. "I'm content for now. Besides, I still have your pick to try on, don't I?"

"Oh, right! If you're happy to, go ahead! No pressure, though!"

"Right." Sayo heads back in. It's just one more dress, now. One more garment, and then the outing will be over. If everyone else doesn't feel exhausted, she'll probably excuse herself early for guitar practice. 

Come on, Sayo. It's not a big deal. Just let the enjoyment flow naturally.

Okay, maybe it IS a little hard to get used to. Especially since she's not normally one for socializing.

Sayo holds up Lisa's garment of choice in front of her. She saw it earlier, but spreading it out now makes her really think; this dress looks WAY too good for her. It just doesn't feel natural for someone like her to be wearing this... it's fancy, it bares her limbs, it's not practical for movement, and... what'll happen to her image? She has to be strict for the sake of Roselia's improvement. Is someone like her really suited to this?

Well, Lisa's picked it out. And if she's concerned, she'll just make sure to double down on practice tonight, and make sure she doesn't take another group outing for a bit.

Well, that's all there is to it, then. No more fussing. This isn't like her. There's no need to pointlessly deliberate her current circumstances any further!

So she changes from one sleeveless outfit to the next. What's the harm? She's already done it before. Looking in the mirror, she can tell she's not really all that suited to it, but she's not surprised by this; she didn't expect it to look good.

Well, then. Let's just see how everyone else reacts.

"Alright, I'm ready." She steps out of the fitting room, for what's hopefully the last time today. She really could use some fries now, if she's being honest.

"WHOAAAAA! I knew it!" Lisa's pumping her fists in victory, again. 

...Wait, what?

"Sayo! That looks amazing on you!"

Tsugumi, too? No, hang on. She and Lisa are always positive. What if it's just them trying to be encouraging-

"...Lisa made a good choice." Yukina, too. Ran's just nodding. This has to be a dream.

"...You're all exaggerating. It doesn't really suit me-"

"Sayo, Sayo, Sayo! Sayo, Sayo, Sayo, can we buy this? I'll spot if I need to, you HAVE to get this!"

"I-I... well..." This was NOT the reaction she was expecting. Should she feel praised? Embarrassed? Suddenly, she feels like a deer in the headlights. "U-uh... thank you... you don't need to go that far, though..."

"Hehe, leave it to me! I'll never fail an outfit!" Lisa's skill is reassuring to her. Should she actually buy this? She probably wouldn't wear it often, since it's not all that practical, but...

...well, she wouldn't admit it, but it feels nice to be complimented like this.

"...I'll buy it, then. Don't worry, I prepared some savings for this outing."

Their smiling faces, in this ordinary moment in life, is something she'll remember for ages.

\---

With a casual attitude, these sorts of things pass in a flash. She's glad she didn't have to dwell too long, or wear the outfit out, else some... well, more negative feelings, would've settled in.

But Sayo feels an odd amount of pride, and a strange expression on her face, carrying this bag with her purchase in it. She has to loosen her grip on it every now and then, after noticing how tightly she's holding it.

"That was great! I'm glad we went out today." Lisa's the first to speak, following Tsugumi and Ran's departure.

"I'm surprised you're not heading anywhere else. Don't you have more to do here?" Sayo asks. She'd expected to have asked to leave early.

"It's fine, it's fine. Besides, I could tell you and Yukina were a little tuckered out."

"It was exhausting," Yukina responds.

"...Thank you. I'll admit, it's felt like a pretty long day." Sayo says. "Make sure you're maintaining your bass practice, Lisa. Don't slack just because you're spending the daytime focusing on something else, understood?"

"You got it, you got it~" It's a typical response from her. But Sayo has to make sure, just in case. Today was a VERY casual day for Roselia, after all. "Are you heading straight back home to practice, too?"

"Naturally. I'll have to make up for today's lost time."

"That's just like you..." Lisa responds. "Hey, Sayo. Everything was okay today, right?"

"Mmm? What do you mean?"

"Well, you seemed perfectly fine, but I just wanted to make sure... you didn't do anything you didn't want to do, right?"

...Honestly, she has no idea why she felt fine today. Normally, an outing at any kind of clothes shop would've been caused the same kind of murky feeling she's always had to deal with. The feeling that she's an abnormality, who shouldn't be interacting so casually with the things women are usually interested in.

But, for some reason... she felt fine today. She was with people she could trust. It was enjoyable. And why waste time questioning why it felt good or bad? That effort is better expended elsewhere.

So Sayo stops, and turns to her friends. "The outing today was good. I normally don't spare time for activities like these, but I won't deny that it was enjoyable. So, thank you for offering this trip, Lisa."

And that's all there is to say. Lisa and Yukina smile, and they simply converse the rest of their return journey away, until it's time for them to part ways.

Sayo looks back one last time at the duo as she heads off. There's the same soft smile on Lisa's face as always, and the same neutral expression on Yukina's. Another day has passed, with nothing extraordinary to note of.

That's all there is to it.

**Author's Note:**

> hi!!!! if you're reading this and felt like it went on way too long, that's because; it went on way too long. i was originally going to edit this fic a lot more than i already did, but at some point i just went feral and posted it because i refuse to be chained any longer. i apologise profusely
> 
> That being said, I had a lot of fun writing this one (hence why i was so desperate to upload it faster)!!! It's a marked departure in tone from the first part of this series, so I hope that's not too big a deal. As for why I wrote it? You'll probably be able to figure that out!
> 
> see you when i make part 3 and finish the series in, uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
> 
> twit: @fushyfush


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